Not All the Good Guys Win
by Jacqueline Noir
Summary: Who killed the Professor? Oxford Magical University is a hotbed of suspects, but it's only one that really stands out: Rose Weasley, spawn of the most influential family in the wizarding world and unapologetic bully. Of course, incarcerating her would be so much easier if she wouldn't have so many aces up her sleeve. Meanwhile, the blood stained campus quickly becomes a graveyard.
1. Chapter 1

Rose cast a lazy glance around her and then extended her long, numb feet from under the table. She was sitting in the front row, trying to feign interest, or, at least keep a decent poker face expression. The hall was teeming with young people, but most of them seemed quiet enough during the speech of Oxford Magical University's new Headmaster.

Honestly, did she have to spend a third year in that dreadful place?

It was terribly hot for the September day and the cooling charms were wavering, as flies seemed to buzz in with determination. Slanted sun beams pierced through the arched, long, stained glass windows. The entire hall seemed rather drowsy and the air smelled like old furniture and some little bimbo's too strong perfume.

She grew restless by the minute.

Rose tried to identify the owner of that dreadful cologne and cast a withering glance around her, but all the young witches were staring at the middle aged, dashing dean, who went on about the wonders of education and future prospects. Or something like that, for Rose stopped listening a long time ago, not really caring about the same bullshit of the esteemed professor. She was smarter than the lot of them anyway and oh, what good did the speeches do anyway?

Checking once more to see that everyone was focused on the speaking man, she smiled to herself and hastily scribbled on a piece of parchment. Then she knocked on it three times with the knuckle of her index finger, making it disappear.

Scorpius didn't see the piece of paper in front of him, as he was too busy to throw half-annoyed, half-bored glances at the speaking man. Slumped in his seat, with his right hand leaning casually over the back of his chair, he felt an uneasy burden in the pit of his stomach. The more he listened, the more his distaste for this character grew, until he found himself scowling at the man, who was all but beaming at the crowd. In his mind, the sturdy, revered character in front of him reminded him more of the stories about Gilderoy Lockhart, than the American wizard prodigy that he was supposed to be. And then, something prickled the skin of his fingers and he winced, finally noticing the writing in front of him. Averting his gaze around the hall, his eyes finally rested on Rose, who gave him a short, shameless smile, then turned back to pretending she absorbed every word. He read:

" _Merlin, Malfoy, must you look like you're murdering the new Headmaster? Isn't it enough that you have to carry that nefarious last name with you as an omen, you want murder added to the list? Why, not even your sweet daddy – have I told you how sexy I find your dad? – was able to commit murder, but who knows, perhaps at least one member of that family has some guts. Come on, loser, do tell, what's your next move?_

Scorpius eyes shot up just in time to glower at the winning smirk that Rose was giving him, while she was softly tapping her fingers on her desk. She arched an eyebrow, as if daring him to do something and he leaned in, scribbling a reply.

Rose felt the tapping fingers prickling, an intense electric feeling that didn't usually go with the charm she invented, and she looked down to see his reply.

" _Devil. Can't you mind your own damn business for once, dear Rosie!? Isn't it your turn to go up that stage like the little hypocrite that you are and talk about integrity and all the things that your dear mommy – who, I think, got fat – didn't manage to instill on you? Why, it must be the foul Weasley genes speaking, from that rabid, stupid red hair to your inability to say something smart that your swotty self didn't read in a book or another. Or are you mad at me because I know you shag the Prof in order to become valedictorian? There isn't anything you wouldn't do for that title, is it now? Just to show everybody that they can never measure to the great, despicable Rose."_

He noticed the sting has reached its target because she had scrunched her nose into a disgusted scowl, but in the next second, she turned to him with a winning smile and bent to write a reply.

But another note appeared on her desk.

 _"Would you stop harassing Scorpius just for once, Rose? Honestly, don't you have better things to do? Have some decency, for Merlin's sake."_

She knew instantly who the note was from. Rose snapped her fingers and a small fire erupted on Lily Potter's desk. The girl rushed to her wand and a few people shuffled about her, causing a small commotion in the row where the first year students stood. As it was over, the petite girl glowered at her cousin, encountering what she called the demented smirk that she grew up with. Years and years of jabbing and taunting have made Lily used to her older cousin, but still, her Hufflepuff nature couldn't let her rest when she saw her mess with others. Or so she surmised, because what Rose and Scorpius had was more of an ongoing battle then a true, honest friendship. Frenemies, Lily mused, that's what they were called.

"And now, I invite in front for the Students Speech, Miss Rose Granger – Weasley."

Rose stood up, to her full five foot eight height, and walked gracefully towards the speaking point. She was aware that hundreds of eyes were upon her and somehow, the thought gave her power and she lifted up her chin, offering a dazzling smile to the headmaster and the professors behind him. They all mirrored her smile and seemed to move out of the way to make room for the girl.

She took her place on the podium as if it was something she did for hundreds of times before. She started to speak in a melodious, self-assured tone. From time to time, she raised her golden eyes to offer the audience a smile or a grin and her long, wavy hair seemed to move gracefully with her. She was gesticulating, long fingers building invisible paths in the air with the sole purpose of delivering a warmth to the audience, assuring them of some comfort. She addressed the first years with hope and joy, she thanked her teachers and she spoke about the importance of the university. But there was a cackle in the speech, a flaw in the meticulously drafted words, if one looked close enough, or perhaps if one closed his eyes so they could not see the splendid figure of the young girl. If one listened carefully, perhaps the notes of arrogance and self-sufficiency would have been more evident, but alas, they were all too busy to admire her - or envy her – to pay real attention to the facts.

Lily watched around her, her spirits dropping when she took in all the pairs of seemingly mesmerized eyes, the awe or the green envy of the witches and the raptured looks of some of the wizards. Her eyes landed on Scorpius and she noticed his stiff back and clenched jaw with a heavy heart. Somehow, even though he had proven time and time again that he was able to stand on his own, Lily felt an inexplicable need to protect him.

Her musings were interrupted by the boom of excited applauses as Rose took a small bow, produced a little blush and retreated to her seat as gracefully as she had left it. The hall was wished a good year and they were about to be dismissed.

Rose had been victorious once again.

She had prepared to saunter off when a warm voice called her urgently, the owner almost swallowed by the crowd of exciting students who were rushing to the cocktail that had been organized for them.

"Miss Granger – Weasley, Miss Weasley, Miss Weasley!" the old professor called, running to her on his chubby, tired feet, looking helpless among the crowd of young, vigorous students. "Oh, Miss Weasley, stop, please, I'd like to have a word, please!" he said with all the strength he had left, and so red in the face that when Rose noticed him he looked about to faint.

She cursed inwardly but stopped and smiled respectfully.

"Of course, Professor Seymour, what can I do for you?"

Scorpius didn't hear the answer, as the other students swept him towards the exit.

Outside it was even more crowded than indoors, so hundreds of students swarmed the garden and attacked the promised refreshments. And although the majority of them were non-alcoholic, some of the students had already been tipsy by the time Rose arrived, laughing slyly with Albus, who was excitingly recounting his trip to Eastern Europe. Lily only noticed because, as if he actually sensed her cousin's presence, Scorpius's eye shot up and he abandoned the conversation they were having altogether. He kept his gaze controlled, focused and Lily saw her cousin's eyes looking back, boring into his. Rose was talking to Albus, but it was as if her whole spirit was focused on looking back to Scorpius, on matching his stare; the intensity of their gazes was so strong that Lily shuddered. She put a gentle hand on his arm:

"Come on, Scorpius, we should really get some drinks."

He replied without even looking back, without abandoning the sight of the tall girl for a single second.

"Just a minute, Lils, I have something to settle with your dearest cousin."

Lily sighed, but Rose's smile only widened when she saw him advance towards her.

He extended his arm towards Albus and then the two boys embraced heartily.

Scorpius grabbed two glasses of champagne with one hand, using the other to grab Rose's arm painfully, satisfied when he heard her give a small yelp. Carefully analyzing the crowd around them, he ushered her into a small, deserted alcove and then thrust one of the glasses in her hand.

"Here," he said sullenly. "I'm helping you to achieve that stupor that you need so that you're able to live with yourself after reciting that little charade for a speech. Bottoms up, Reddie!"

"If you want to get me drunk to have your wicked way with me, dear Scorpius," she drawled lazily "all you have to do is ask," she ended with a wink and then broke up in laughter at his crestfallen expression. "Oh come on, must you always look so unhappy when someone is joking? You keep on spoiling everybody's fun with your perpetual gloom!"

Scorpius's eyes narrowed to slits.

"Bite that venomous tongue and listen to me. You're playing a dangerous game here, Rose," he said, shaking her and staring her at her.

The real concern in his eyes was the only reason that stopped her from retaliating. He was so close that Rose could feel his breath on her cheeks. His soft, blonde hair was tousled as a result of his sudden moves and one strand lay on his left eye, just out of her reach. His eyes were grey, dead seat in his serious, worried expression, as if he had practiced the present mien to perfection and it was now permanently attached to his figure. His lips, full and dark pink were open and he was breathing hard, tingling her face. Rose wrenched herself free.

"Do preach, Blondie," she retorted mockingly, "what is this danger that threatens this maiden, my knight in shining armor?"

"Oh, hush now," he said, grabbing her arm once more. "I'm done saving you. No friendship endures as much as I had to endure from you. "You're on your own now. I just thought you should know I consider your involvement with professor Rickard a nasty affair. Come on, you could have any other guy here and you chose to jump in bed with that snarky, middle aged impostor?"

She managed to free herself once more and took a few steps back. As soon as she was out of his reach, the lazy smile reigned on her face again.

"My, my, Blondie, if I didn't know you better I'd say you were jealous."

He threw one hand in the air and then turned his back, preparing to exit in a rush. She called after him.

"Oh, come on, Malfoy, you used to be so much fun. Now it's my time to have some fun too," she added, pouting. "If that fun happens to involve a certain Professor or not it's not any of your business," she said, calmer now, taking a seat on an old bench. "Besides, you know quite well that all the guys here bore me to death and I've felt quite lonely since you took on with that Goldstein girl and forgot all about your oldest friend and confidante," she said, raising her hands in peace.

"Not with that scum, Rose. I know he's considered some sort of prodigious savior, but so are you and we both know how wrong that assumption is. Besides, weren't you entangled with Wood in slimy cupboards just a short while ago?"

"Do you keep notice of all my lovers?"

"Pff, lovers! You haven't loved anyone in your whole life. You use them and throw them like cigarette butts. But this is different. This guy gives me the creeps."

"Oh, come on now, don't be sullen. You know me, I can take care of myself."

"Not this time, Rose, not this time. I have this urge to throttle the damn fool whenever I see him and you goggle at him like a thirteen years old. Promise me you'll get rid of him. Promise me."

She laughed out loud and reached for the champagne glass, downing it in one go.

"I will do no such thing!" she exclaimed, quite pleased with herself, extending her long legs and watching his eyes following the move. He noticed she had caught him and threw her a swift, dirty look.

"Fine, suit yourself," he said finally. "But don't come asking for help when it all goes downhill. You know you can be expelled if this gets out, don't you?"

"Why, me?! But I am just a foolish young girl, caught in an affair with a teacher. I did not know what I was doing and he was the figure in charge. Who would blame the sweet, little Rose Granger Weasley, the respectable daughter of two war heroes?"

Scorpius' jaw tightened because he was reminded once again of the different roles they occupied in the world. There she was, the cruel, cold, Rose who would lie and destroy a man's career with a smile on her face, while he was having to bear the burden of his father's sins every single day of his life. There she stood, beautiful and radiant and mocking, while people were still regarding him as a venomous snake, ready to bite at any chance he gets. He felt he could strangle her. In those moments – and they were often enough - he forgot how they had become friends in the first place and what hold did the shameless creature have on him. And once more, he felt the urge to run away from her, run as fast and as far as he could to a place where she could never find him and where he could forget he ever knew her.

He turned on his heel and prepared to leave again.

"Wait!" she shouted after him, stopping him once more and he felt a sense of dread wash over him. "Let's go out tonight. The whole bunch," she said quickly, pointing the crowd in the garden. "You and I and Albus and even the impressionable first years that Hugo and Lily are. We could organize a great evening, you know, just to show these fools what they have gotten themselves into. Let's leave right now!"

There was a fire burning in those golden brown eyes and it scorched his reason. When she was like this, alive with the impulse of an idea, or a prank or whatever vile thought passed through that vicious head, he had to take a few moments to just stare at her. That was a rare display of an energy she so seldom employed those days, too caught up in a perpetual ennui to bother about anything.

"Don't, just don't. Don't ruin any chances that Lily and Hugo might have at thinking this place holds any good things for them! Plus, didn't Professor Seymour want to see you after class, to discuss with you and other "select students" the plans for this year?"

"Oh, that," she said, waving a dismissive hand. Then grinning unabashedly: "I spiked the old twat's drinks, he'll be obnoxiously drunk and wobbly within the hour. We can take Oxford by storm in about fifteen minutes. Mingle with the muggles and then cause some troubles."

He had to stay rooted to the ground, not to flinch at her idea. She had actually intoxicated a teacher to get herself out of a boring appointment. Merlin's beard, why was she making him part of all that…

A desperate, mad scream pierced the air, turning both their bloods cold. They stared at each other for a second only and then they broke into a desperate run: they had both recognized Lily's voice.

In the courtyard, they had to fight their way in through the crowd to get to the middle of the commotion. In the center, they stopped, gasping for breath at the horrifying displayed before them: Lily, caught up in the strong arms of her older brother, Albus, was screaming and thrashing madly, while in front of her lay the old, wrinkled body of Professor Seymour, a blood stained knife trapped in his chest.

 **A/N: How's that for a first chapter?** **J** **Thank you for reading this, from the bottom of my heart. Let me know what you thought of it by means of reviewing or PM-ing. Updates will come once or twice a week! ;)**


	2. The Order of the Truth

Scorpius's Patronus, a huge, white cat, joined the few others who flew from the scene to alert the authorities. In a matter of minutes, the place was swarmed by Aurors, apparating right and left and pushing the crowd away from the murder scene. They produced charms after charms and did their best to dispel the crowd until Harry Potter himself, the Head of the Auror Department appeared at the scene and walked towards his daughter with the most worried expression on his face, his black robes billowing behind him.

Taking Albus's place, he hugged Lily fiercely, listening calmly to her incoherent mumblings and offering soothing words, while everybody but the busy, frantic Aurors stared at them. He looked much older than in his photos from the Daily Prophet, silver strands of hair and wrinkled, tired eyes presenting a man who imposed respect and silence by his sole presence.

"We have to take her in, Harry," a soft voice spoke, "she's the one that discovered him."

Then Teddy Lupin put a hand on Harry's arm and offered Lily an apologetic, but encouraging look.

A strong voice boomed and the crowd gave a simultaneous start.

"Everybody stay in their place," the loud, unbearable voice commanded. "You are all part of an ongoing investigation," the nasty Auror Cullum was saying, staring at everybody accusingly and intensely, until people started to shiver. "Nobody leaves this place until you've all been questioned and this place sealed for evidence. Now sit and leave us to our God damned job!"

Rose felt a firm grip on her arm again and she was dragged away from the scene and into the same alcove. As soon as they were inside Scorpius throw her against the wall and towered over her, speaking with rage:

"Did you do it? Did you kill Professor Seymour, Rose?" And then even louder: "Tell me the truth, did you do it?"

The pain was becoming unbearable and she screamed at him in pain:

"No, I didn't, you fucking desperate twat! How can you say such a thing?"

"Spare me the theatrics," he said again, not budging. "You were the last one to see him and you got him drunk. Did that make it easier? Did you kill him when you thought nobody else was going to notice?"

"No," she shouted and fought him again, managing to throw him off her until he took a few steps back, staggering.

They were both gasping for breath and throwing contemptuous look at each other until a heavy tiredness came over Scorpius and he bent over, emptying his stomach in the old bin he found. He retched again and again until he was spent and his legs gave off like jelly.

Finally, he felt a cold hand upon his shoulder and he meant to say something, but when he raised his eyes, a powerful hand slapped the words out of him and the last thing he saw before he collapsed were the blazing, bulging eyes of Rose.

A week after the "horrendous incident" as Rita Skeeter's very own "Supreme Magic" magazine called it, the gates of Oxford University for Magical Students have been opened again. It was an unusual start of the year because instead of the usual happy chattering, most of the students looked rather gloomy, casting suspicious glances around themselves more often than they would have liked to admit. The Professors have been trained in the new security measures instilled by the Aurors and a bunch of them were continuously on campus, especially around the dorms.

There were few news about the death of Mr. Seymour, save for a bunch of meaningless speculations in Skeeter's magazine. The Aurors weren't releasing any information about the investigation: all that was known at that point was that one of the oldest and most respected Professor has been stabbed in the heart with a seemingly regular kitchen knife and left to bleed to death. As Mr. Seymour had been an esteemed scholar his whole life, had few living relatives and has been living alone for most of his existence, there were no suspects. Everyone who had been at Oxford that day had been going through extensive interrogation at the hands of the Aurors and their poker face expressions. They had all been released and there seemed to be no leads.

At Oxford, the most affected were the first years. Fresh out of Hogwarts and thrilled at the prospect of living somewhat far from the gaze of their teachers, they always came wide eyed and full of expectations, expecting three years that would culminate with a door opening diploma. And here they were, in the middle of a murder investigation, where Harry Potter's only daughter had been a center piece.

Lily, for her part, looked heartbroken. Despite her meetings with a magical psychologist, and despite the fact that the whole school had seen the same gruesome image that she has witnessed, it weighted on her the heaviest. She was trying to look for James, when she had stumbled upon the figure of her teacher, eyes wide with horror and mouth agape, his shirt bloodied and his hand extended towards the sky in a fractured gesture. She had screamed the life out of her, losing her mind on the spot. For all the stories about the atrocities of war she has heard from her parents, there was a difference between being told old stories of a times past and actually witnessing a dead body, brutally murdered.

And now, at the tense lunch, she sat slumped, huddled between an encouraging Albus and a boastful James, fresh from his first game for the Quidditch. He graduated the year before, but came on a visit to bask in the glory of his recent win.

"When I will be an Auror, there would be no such things anymore!" he all but yelled. "I would catch that scum from the first day, drag him to Azkabam and make sure the he gets what he deserves!" he added, punching the air with his fist.

"What makes you so sure it's a him?" Scorpius steady voice demanded. He was taking sparing bites of his food, while Ellie Goldstein, his girlfriend was hugging his sagging shoulders.

"Well, of course it was a man. This was brutal, masculine, vengeful. It's what they teach you in Auror classes, don't they? To analyze the culprit by the way the murder was executed."

"Or perhaps it was a woman smart enough to make it feel like a man," Scorpius replied and his eyes shot up to Rose, who was cutting perfect pieces into her chicken and taking bites leisurely. She smiled back sweetly.

"Perhaps. But then again," she said leaning conspiratorially over the table, as if sharing a big secret "who actually knew a thing about our dear old teacher. This looks like a crime a passion to me, a spur of the moment like… an unresolved romantic affair."

A few of them wore gagging expressions as if the image of their old, shriveled teacher being romantically involved with someone would upend their stomachs.

"Oh, you hypocrites," Lorcan Scamander declared heatedly, his long hair sticking to his face, "he didn't have to be in bed with a witch to be involved with someone. Old people have feelings too, you know?"

"And some of them are more honest than ours," Lysander, his twin brother added, giving them all a reproachful look that made a few bow their heads in shame. "And then again, September it's the season of Creole Magnolias and these flowers have been known to have certain effects on the elderly…." He added, reminded everyone for the umpteenth time that he was the son of two naturalists, one of which was the famous Luna Lovegood.

"Magnolias' season was in spring and it makes no sense." Ellie counteracted, letting go of her boyfriend's hand, to take a sip from her coffee, as she pulled her fingers through her caramel colored hair. For a second she stood silent, pensive even, as she pursued her plump lips together and arranged her beautiful features in place. Then, foxy face lightened up in encouraging smile.

"Is there anything that you need from us, Lily?"

All eyes turned to the redhead.

"No," she answered, failing to sound in control. "I just…" and then with more dignity "I've read most of Seymour's work. Honestly, I was the biggest fan of his work on Animagus transformation and was so excited to have him as a teacher. Oh, he was the only one, the only wizard in the world to teach others how to transform into Animagi. And I… I've met him before, you know? Went to his last book launch and had even started a correspondence with him. I felt like… I felt like I knew him, like we were almost friends. And to be the one that sees him dead…"

"Well," Rose started, an indolent smirk plastered all over her face. "Now we know who Seymour's secret lover was."

James and Albus turned to glare at her almost instantly, while Ellie's mouth dropped open and Scorpius just shook his head in disapproval, used to the profane accusations of Rose.

"Give it a rest, Rose, will you?" Oliver Wood Jr. said, joining the table at the last minute.

"Oh come on," Rose said daringly, watching him under battling eyelashes, "we all barely knew him. He even failed you last year, if I recall correctly."

"He did. But not everyone is a vindictive little bitch like you."

Scorpius was slow to suppress the amused snort that escaped him and Rose turned to him with renewed fury.

"Still bitter, Wood, I see," she replied with a clipped tone, her eyes never Scorpius's face for a second.

"Not now, Rose," Albus chided before she could produce a response, looking into his plate without any taste for the perfectly edible food. "A Professor has died. The murderer is still at large. And we have no idea who is to blame or if…" and he stopped to frown "or if this person is set to make more victims."

There was a collective murmur around the table, and Rose had to roll her eyes at their panicky little ways. She was stunned at their sheer stupidity. Whoever killed old Mr. Seymour must have had a real reason and probably wasn't off to hunt stupid little students caught in conspiracy theories. Scorpius was still watching her intently, up until the moment Ellie wrapped her tiny, worried arms around him and they ended up kissing slowly, melting into each other like snow on a warm spring day. For a few moments Scorpius face had become serene, content, as if he lost track of time and space. Then James broke it off unceremoniously.

"Oi, Malfoy, Goldstein! Get a freaking room you too, will you?"

The two of them smiled: Scorpius cheekily, carefree, Ellie blushing to the tips of her earlobes and fidgeting with her fingers for a few moments. Rose was twisting her fork in between her fingers, fast and precise like a magic trick, until Lysander stopped her to ask her to ask her something, making her huff impatiently at him. Wood had an odd look on his face as he was watching her intently, up until she wordlessly questioned him with an arched eyebrow.

He shrugged her off.

She was the first one to stand up and winked at Hugo and Lily, leaving them with this sole line.

"Juniors, you better get some rest. There are plans in motion for you this evening." But before she was out of reach, Wood pulled her down again and his lips came crashing down on hers, making James groan and curse.

Hugo was playing with a deck of cards in his shared university bedroom when he heard a strange noise just outside his door. Wand in hand, he stood in front of the doorframe and waited for the inevitable. As a Gryffindor, he was not usually scared, however the recent events have turned him a little bit jittery. Albus words echoed in his head: what if Seymour was just the first victim? What if the killer was out there on the loose and ready to strike again?

Suddenly, there was a blinding light and before he could react, the wand flew out of his hand and a burlap sack covered his face, while his hands were bonded behind him.

On the other side of the campus, in the girls' dormitories, Lily prepared herself a chamomile tea, eager to have at least one good night sleep. Before she could even take the first sip the door opened with a loud bang and her hands were seized by a strong grip, while something covered her eyes and mouth. She had never before been so panicked: an all overpowering fear seized her body stronger than a stunning spell and it spread inside her veins like a dangerous virus, making it almost impossible to breathe: she was going to be killed, she was next. Those were the last seconds of her life.

Suddenly, a warm voice whispered in her ear.

"Play along, Lils. It's all going to be fine, I promise."

Suddenly, the room stopped spinning as Scorpius's warm words registered and she dared to breathe a little. Somewhere near she heard Albus's unmistakable whistle, soothing her frazzled nerves. The last thing she remembered was falling slowly into an all-encompassing dreamlike state, where you would fall and fall, but never reach the earth.

When she woke up, she, Hugo and five other students were tied around a table shaped like a circle. They all came to their senses at once as a tall, hooded figure emerged in green and red robes, his face covered by a golden Venetian mask. Behind him, about two dozen figures emerged donning the same attire, but their masks were either silver or copper colored.

They were surrounded and Lily could almost feel the shudder passing through the other students' bodies. One of them, a girl started to sob:

"Please don't kill me," she begged, her small, frail body racking from the weight of the desperate sobs. Please don't kill me, I'll do anything," she cried miserably.

At once, the first figure removed his golden mask and threw it to the ground, obfuscated.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, you freaking cowards!" James Potter exclaimed. "You people are no, absolutely no fun! Last year we had dear Lorcan and Lysander here crawl through magical cemeteries – among other things – and now you people can't even hold your pee at the sight of a few masked figures. What the freaking hell?"

"What… what is this?" another fearful boy asked incredulously.

"A freaking fantastic secret society. If you morons wouldn't have ruined it."

Suddenly, another silver mask came off and beneath the students observed the smiling face of Scorpius Malfoy. Lorcan and Lysander Scamander followed suit and Ellie Goldstein wasn't far behind either.

"I knew it, I knew it!" Hugo shouted, grinning, "I freaking knew there was a secret society at Oxford, but all of you were telling me I'm mental. Albus is here too, isn't it?"

A silver mask came off again and Albus grinned back, untying his cousin and his sister.

"Sorry," he mouthed to her and with a few more flicks of his wand all the silver and bronze masks came off revealing all students involved, most of them unknown to Lily.

"What a mess!" Rose drawled, scanning the room with bored expression. "I had everything so well planned…"

"Oi, Rosie, it's not your time yet. I still have a few more minutes to be the leader, haven't I?"

"Well, get on with it!"

"Always so impatient, Red, can't wait to get your claws on the crown?"

"I beat you to it, didn't I?" she retorted. "I won again, like I always do," she said, letting a small giggle out and then turned to crowd of young students. "You!" she said, addressing the girl who was sobbing before. "Get out of here right now. You're not worthy enough of us!"

James groaned: "Unfortunately, I must agree with Rose: we can't allow people like her in here," James replied, but before he could go on further Rose has already performed Obliviate and the girl fainted.

"You can't do that here!" Lily shouted and rushed towards the girl, but her cousin's steely gaze stopped her in her tracks.

"I believe I have already done it. Ah, don't worry, she'll be fine."

"But you can be expelled for that."

"No, she can't," Ellie replied somberly before anyone else could take the word. "She's the best at charms from this whole bunch. So it's the lesser risk."

Hugo gaped her, unused to anyone taking his sister's side. Ok, maybe men have been more than eager to offer assistance, but no one has actually stood by her bending of the rules. This was getting interesting.

"We're called "The Order of the Truth," Rose continued, unperturbed. Our role here is to be informed of everything that happens in the university, whether our teachers want us to know about it or not."

"We are the eyes and ears of this school," Albus followed suit, but without the malice in his predecessor's voice. "There's nothing that goes in or out of the school that we're not aware about."

"We copy secret documents, break in the dungeons for supplies, you know, the regular," James said with a wink, looking quite proud of their efforts. "And this year, we have an even more special mission for you lot," James said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Yeah, that should be something out of the ordinary," Lysander said, quite excited at the prospect of unusual things.

"Because instead of the usual business, we're going to have an investigation by ourselves."

"An investigation?" a skinny girl with a funny braid piped in. "But the Aurors…"

"Have proven useless," Rose cut in. "But this is our school, this is our safety we're talking about. So we're taking matters in our hands."

"Already the bossy gal, Rose, you couldn't just wait a few more minutes, could you?" James said again in a jocular manner. "What was I saying? Ah, yes, our mission. The Order's mission this year is to find out who killed Professor Seymour and punish him accordingly."

"You mean… hand him to the Aurors?"

"We could do that of course… or we could…"

"Get more creative," Rose ended. "If the Aurors don't catch him first and we get to the bottom of this, then we will punish him accordingly…"

"Are we all members of the Order now? Just like that?" Hugo asked.

"Oh, we'll see about that, dearest brother," Rose said, looking happy to crush his dreams. "Only two or three of you will remain. We're going to see how you perform during the year… I just might have to Obliviate and kick you out like the sniveling girl before," she said with a pointy look.

"But how are the prospective new members selected?" Lily piped in, good-naturedly.

"By their abilities," Ellie supplied, stepping forward. Then she pointed to a few people in the room. "Just to give you some examples: I've already told you that Rose is the best at Charms, Scorpius is very good at Defense Against the Dark Arts, James is an excellent Quidditch player, Albus is a great potion maker and has a talent for uncovering things that the university would rather keep hidden…"

"… and Ellie here is an excellent potion master!" Albus says, joining them.

Ellie blushes at the compliment and Rose rolls her eyes.

"Yes, yes, how fascinating! Now, James, will you get down to work?" she said, tapping her foot impatiently against the floor.

James groaned, but complied. He directed his wand at rose and said in a ceremonious tone:

"Now, Rose Granger – Weasley, I proclaim you the Queen of the Order of the Truth, the absolute Leader of knowledge and Keeper of secrets, ruler of the truth. All in favor of this appointment, please raise their wands!"

One by one, the wands raised, until only one person stood out, his face set and his shoulders squared. Scorpius was staring at Rose, a long, hard look, as if he was contemplating the fate of the wizarding world. Finally, after what seemed to be excruciating seconds, he raised his wand too, casting a simple Lumos.

The crown fitted her head perfectly. She stood there, all royal and full, grasping the scepter, her chin jutted out defiantly, her eyes blazing. Not a single strand of wavy hair was out of place: everything was impeccable, just as it should be.

Suddenly, a smirk comes upon her face.

"Let's go catch a murderer."


End file.
